Stanley Cup Final Preview + more
The championship that we have here may have been predcited by 0.1 percent of the world, or maybe even less. Maybe a lot of us had the Chicago Blackhawks stationed here, but almost no one had the Phialdelphia Flyers making the Cup Finals.
The Flyers needed to win their last game of the season against the New York Rangers to make the playoffs. The seventh seeded Flyers breezed through New Jersey in 5, then outstanding goalie play by Michael Leighton and clutch goal-scoring by Simon Gagne helped Phialdelphia rally from down 3-0 to beat the Boston Bruins in 7. They beat Montreal in 5, and here they are now.
The Chicago Blackhawks had more trouble in the first round. The Blackhawks were even with the Nashville Predators after 4 games, and they were down 4-3 with :30 in Game 5. But Patrick Kane scored with :14, and Chicago won the game in OT and the series. Chicago went 3-0 on the road to beat Vancouver in 6, and Antti Neimi allowed only 7 goals in 4 games of a sweep of the San Jose Sharks.
So far, Jonathan Toews has been playoff MVP. He has a point (a goal or assist) or more in 13 straight games. During that span, Chicago is 11-2. Patrick Kane is great on the front line, and Dustin Byfulgien scored the game-winning goals in games 3 and 4 vs. the Sharks. Marian Hossa is always key, and this is his third straight Cup appearance. The Blackhawks have more experience and more talent, and that is why they are favored to win.
For the Philadelphia Flyers, everyone has stepped up. Claude Giroux and Jeff Carter had back-to-back 2 goal games to close out Montreal, Michael Leighton shut Montreal out in 3 of the first 4 games of the series, Simon Gagne scored 2 GW goals vs. Boston and Mike Richards has 21 points this postseason. The Flyers don't have a star like Chicago, but they do have good players. Chris Pronger is a great defenseman, and Danny Briere scored key goals in games 6 and 7 vs. Boston. The Flyers are 8-0 in games 4, 5, 6, and 7, and they play great with their backs against the wall.
These teams are actually pretty even during the playoffs. Philadelphia has played 17 games, Chicago has played 16. Philly is 12-5, Chicago is 12-4. This is kind of like a first round matchup, for Chicago is a 2 seed and Philadelphia is a 7 seed. However, Chicago played harder competition. Nashville came in to the playoffs with momentum, Vancouver had one of the best goal-scorers in Henrik Sedin, and San Jose was 8-3 and playing with confidence.
Philadelphia, on the other hand, played easier teams. New Jersey played like a 6 seed, Boston was a 6 seed, and Montreal was an 8 seed. I think it will take Philly a few games to get used to Chicago, and the Hawks will go up 3-0. Philadelphia will come back, but Chicago will finish them off in 6. Jonathan Toews will win the Conn Smythe Trophy (Playoff MVP) and Marian Hossa will win Cup Finals MVP.
Regular season meetings: Chicago 2, Philadelphia 3
MLB Update:
Division leaders
AL East: Tampa Bay Rays, 33-15: AL Central: Minnesota Twins, 27-20, AL West: Texas Rangers, 26-21
NL East: Phialdelphia Phillies, 26-20: NL Central: Cincinnati Reds, 28-20: NL West: San Diego Padres, 28-19
NBA Update: Ron Artest's buzzer-beating put-back helped the LA Lakers take a 3-2 lead over the Phoenix Suns with a 103-101 lead. After back-to-back-to-back 3's in the second quarter, LA led 41-25. However, Phoenix came back. This leads me to believe that LA will win in 7.
The Flyers needed to win their last game of the season against the New York Rangers to make the playoffs. The seventh seeded Flyers breezed through New Jersey in 5, then outstanding goalie play by Michael Leighton and clutch goal-scoring by Simon Gagne helped Phialdelphia rally from down 3-0 to beat the Boston Bruins in 7. They beat Montreal in 5, and here they are now.
The Chicago Blackhawks had more trouble in the first round. The Blackhawks were even with the Nashville Predators after 4 games, and they were down 4-3 with :30 in Game 5. But Patrick Kane scored with :14, and Chicago won the game in OT and the series. Chicago went 3-0 on the road to beat Vancouver in 6, and Antti Neimi allowed only 7 goals in 4 games of a sweep of the San Jose Sharks.
So far, Jonathan Toews has been playoff MVP. He has a point (a goal or assist) or more in 13 straight games. During that span, Chicago is 11-2. Patrick Kane is great on the front line, and Dustin Byfulgien scored the game-winning goals in games 3 and 4 vs. the Sharks. Marian Hossa is always key, and this is his third straight Cup appearance. The Blackhawks have more experience and more talent, and that is why they are favored to win.
For the Philadelphia Flyers, everyone has stepped up. Claude Giroux and Jeff Carter had back-to-back 2 goal games to close out Montreal, Michael Leighton shut Montreal out in 3 of the first 4 games of the series, Simon Gagne scored 2 GW goals vs. Boston and Mike Richards has 21 points this postseason. The Flyers don't have a star like Chicago, but they do have good players. Chris Pronger is a great defenseman, and Danny Briere scored key goals in games 6 and 7 vs. Boston. The Flyers are 8-0 in games 4, 5, 6, and 7, and they play great with their backs against the wall.
These teams are actually pretty even during the playoffs. Philadelphia has played 17 games, Chicago has played 16. Philly is 12-5, Chicago is 12-4. This is kind of like a first round matchup, for Chicago is a 2 seed and Philadelphia is a 7 seed. However, Chicago played harder competition. Nashville came in to the playoffs with momentum, Vancouver had one of the best goal-scorers in Henrik Sedin, and San Jose was 8-3 and playing with confidence.
Philadelphia, on the other hand, played easier teams. New Jersey played like a 6 seed, Boston was a 6 seed, and Montreal was an 8 seed. I think it will take Philly a few games to get used to Chicago, and the Hawks will go up 3-0. Philadelphia will come back, but Chicago will finish them off in 6. Jonathan Toews will win the Conn Smythe Trophy (Playoff MVP) and Marian Hossa will win Cup Finals MVP.
Regular season meetings: Chicago 2, Philadelphia 3
MLB Update:
Division leaders
AL East: Tampa Bay Rays, 33-15: AL Central: Minnesota Twins, 27-20, AL West: Texas Rangers, 26-21
NL East: Phialdelphia Phillies, 26-20: NL Central: Cincinnati Reds, 28-20: NL West: San Diego Padres, 28-19
NBA Update: Ron Artest's buzzer-beating put-back helped the LA Lakers take a 3-2 lead over the Phoenix Suns with a 103-101 lead. After back-to-back-to-back 3's in the second quarter, LA led 41-25. However, Phoenix came back. This leads me to believe that LA will win in 7.
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